Prominent suspects in the case (830/14) registered with the Samanabad police under sections 109, 148, 149 and 302 of PPC and 7-ATA are State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah, MPA Tahir Jameel, DCO Noorul Amen Mengal and Sheharyar, son-in-law of Rana Sana.
They all have been absolved of abetting the crime while Section 109 of the PPC has also been deleted from the FIR.
The case had been registered on the application of Atta, brother of PTI activist Haq Nawaz, who was gunned down on Dec 8 last, on Novelty Bridge during a protest demonstration against the PML-N.
Regional Police Officer Ahsan Tufail had sent a letter (6496) to the Punjab Home Department on Dec 13 last for formation of the JIT. He categorically mentioned in the letter number and sections of cases to be interrogated by the JIT.
The cases mentioned by the RPO for investigation by JIT included; FIRs 829 and 830 registered with Samanabad police, 793 with Factory Area police, 824 with D-Type Colony and 1278 filed with Sargodha Road police.
FIRs 829 and 830 are of the same incident in which instead of the PML-N people, the PTI activists had been nominated.
The Punjab government had formed the JIT comprising SSP (investigation) Bilal Umer (convener), DSP Nishatabad Ahmed Shah, inspectors Yasir Jutt, Nasrullah and Abdul Majeed.
‘Disjointed’ report on PTI rally absolves the big guns of firing incident
Instead of probing all cases given by the RPO, the JIT head had focussed on the investigation of FIR 830 and skipped all others.
Two cases (829 of Samanabad police and 1278 of Sargodha Road police), have been skipped by the SSP in writing.
Instead of probing the issue in details, the JIT relied on the statements of the politicians and others and obtained their cell call data to conclude the investigation.
Submitting his statement, Rana Sana said the applicant of the case had narrated a concocted story at the behest of local PTI leadership only to damage him politically.
State Minister Abid Sher Ali and MPA Tahir Jamil had submitted identical statements and said the information provided for registration of the FIR was false, incorrect and fabricated with mala fide intent to implicate them.
Both have prayed for cancellation of the FIR.
The DCO said he had been serving in the district since Oct 30, 2013, and a number of political and religious parties had staged protest demonstrations and gatherings here. The district government had made arrangements for lighting, health, ambulances and drinking water.
In response to protest call by the PTI on Dec 8 last, he said: “I had tried to meet local leaders of the party on Dec 3 and 4, but could not meet them.”
The administration in the presence of police and PTI leadership had convened three meetings on as many consecutive days--Dec 5 to Dec 7. The PTI leaders assured that their protest would remain peaceful, he claimed.
Under Police Order 2002, maintaining law and order and protection of masses is the responsibility of the police under the leadership of the city police officer. Hence, he said being head of the civil administration he had no role in interfering in police affairs.
“I had not asked anyone that police would not take any action in case of any accident and I myself would intervene. I had no connection with the incident,” the DCO said
The district administration had deployed its officials along with the police, health department, Rescue 1122 and civil defence at nine points selected by the PTI for staging protest demonstrations, he said.
The DCO provided the JIT a copy of a duty roaster featuring names of officers, their deployment points to avoid any untoward incident and safeguard life and property of the public.
They all categorically denied holding any meeting at the outhouse of Rana Sana.
Ilyas alias Toti, guard of Pervez Jutt, has been charged with murder of Nawaz, the JIT says in its report.
On the other hand, PTI had not joined the JIT proceedings on the plea that three out of its five members were close associates of Rana Sana.
Ignoring the PTI reservations, the JIT continued with its interrogation and also did not make Atta’s application part of the findings.
PTI District President Rana Raheel said JIT had done nothing except to protect the suspects. He said Pervez Jutt, a suspect in the case who had brought armed people to the Novelty Bridge and killed Haq Nawaz, had confessed before the JIT that a meeting of traders and workers of PP-70 was held at the Circuit House on Dec 7.
Raheel said confession before the police under the ATA was admissible, however, police did not make a memorandum on the confession of Pervez only to favour Rana Sana.
He said the team had not touched four other cases because all were registered against the PTI workers. “Now the JIT has started asking the PTI leaders to produce their workers named in such cases.”
Published in Dawn February 7th , 2015
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